Risk Aversion

My husband and I have very different driving styles. I tend to follow the “stop far enough away that you can see the preceding car’s tires” rule; he tends to follow the “if the car can fit, there’s enough space to change lanes” philosophy. This isn’t to say my hubby is an unsafe driver. He’s not. I don’t know this for sure but I think if we were to compare records, he would have less accidents. He’s just more accepting of risk than I am, and he manages that risk very effectively.

Risk aversion doesn’t just show up in my driving. It shows up in other parts of life as well. If something’s not a “sure thing” I’ll rarely go for it. If there’s a significant probability that I’ll fail, count me out. If the results can’t be anticipated, than I am probably not going to participate.

While there is some wisdom to approaching certain circumstances with caution, I don’t believe this is how God wants us to approach life. After all, our Savior left the very rewards of heaven, for the sake of His sinful children. How much more should we be willing to risk all we have, all we desire for Him?

I will probably never be as savvy a driver as my husband, but I’ve learned from him that willingness to accept some risk, can get us to our destination faster and can present us with opportunities we’d otherwise be without. May I consider this the next time God calls me to take a step of faith, and I don’t want to take the risk.